March 12, 2005
ST. CROIX, Virgin Islands – The Notre Dame women’s golf team fired a 309 (+21) in the second round of the St. Croix Collegiate Classic on Saturday morning at the par 72, 6,020-yard Carambola Golf Club. The Fighting Irish still enjoy a comfortable 15-stroke lead over the eight-team field despite turning in a round that did not meet their expectations. Freshman Jane Lee (Palos Verdes Estates, Calif./Peninsula) was a bright spot on the day as she carded her top collegiate round with a two-under par 70, which was 11 shots better than her first day total. Lee leads the Irish with a two-day total of 151 (+7).
Sophomores Stacy Brown (The Woodlands, Texas/The Woodlands) and Noriko Nakazaki (Hanover Park, Ill./Hoffman Estates) each registered seven-over par 79s during Saturday’s second round for Notre Dame, who posted a 307 as a team in Friday’s first 18-holes of play. Brown is currently shooting a 10-over par 154 for the classic, while Nakazaki is four shots behind at 158 (+14). The Irish are shooting a 616 (+40) as a team for the tournament.
“I was disappointed with how we played today because we didn’t play all that well,” commented Irish head coach Debby King following play on Saturday morning. “I was really pleased with Jane (Lee). She shot the ball really well. Overall we still have a 15-stroke lead so we are hanging in there.”
Rounding out the scoring team for the Irish on Saturday were juniors Lauren Gebauer (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) and Katie Brophy (Spokane, Wash./Gonzaga Prep) who fired an 81 and 82, respectively. The ten-over par total for Brophy was surprising since she carded a 75 on Friday and currently stands with a 157 (+13). Gebauer has a two round total of 159 (+15).
Notre Dame also has five golfers playing as individual entrants in the event. Senior Karen Lotta (Los Angeles, Calif./Marymount) and junior Sarah Bassett (Spokane, Wash./Lewis and Clark) improved their standing as they each shot three-over par 75s on the day to go along with their respective first round scores of 79 and 78. Freshman Alejandra Diaz-Calderon (Guadalajara, Mexico/American) knocked a shot off of her first-day total as she carded a seven-over par 79. Junior Suzie Hayes (Dublin, Ireland/Loreto College) fired an 82 in Saturday’s second round, which was a setback from her day-one total of 77. Senior Casey Rotella (Keswick, Va./Monticello) has a current total of 171 after turning in rounds of 85 and 86.
The St. Croix Collegiate Classic field also includes Barry, Cincinnati, Eastern Kentucky, Marshall, Texas Pan-American, Wofford and the host school Xavier.
The third and final round will take place on Sunday with a shotgun start at 7:30 a.m. Full results will be available on the Xavier University athletics web site at athletics.xu.edu. For additional information please log on to und.com or call the Notre Dame athletics hotline at (574) 631-3000.
St. Croix Collegiate Classic (Carambola Golf Club – St. Croix, Virgin Islands, Par 72, 6,020-yards)
NOTRE DAME (18-hole totals): 616 (307-309)
NOTRE DAME Scores (18-hole totals):
(Scoring team): Jane Lee 151 (81-70), Stacy Brown 154 (75-79), Katie Brophy 157 (75-82), Noriko Nakazaki 158 (79-79), Lauren Gebauer 159 (78-81).
(Individuals): Sarah Bassett 153 (78-75), Karen Lotta 154 (79-75), Suzie Hayes 159 (77-82), Alejandra Diaz-Calderon 159 (80-79), Casey Rotella 171 (85-86).
— ND –